The  Student 
Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association 


library 

STUDENT 

department 

international 

committee. 

Ii£Z 

V— _ J 


As  it  Relates  to  the  Entire 


Association  Moyement^^ 


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THE... 


Student  Movement 

AS  IT  RELATES  TO 

THE  ENTIRE  ASSOCIATION 
MOVEMENT 


PREPARED  BY 


JOHN  M.  COULTER,  PH.  D. 

HEAD  PROFESSOR  OF  BOTANY  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO 


READ  BEFORE  THE  CONFERENCE  OF  VOLUNTEER  WORKERS  IN 
CITY,  TOWN  AND  RAILROAD  ASSOCIATIONS,  LAKE 
GENEVA,  WIS.,  THURSDAY,  JULY,  IT,  1901. 


CHICAGO  : 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SECRETARIAL  INSTITUTE  AND  TRAINING  SCHOOL  OF 

Young  Men's  Christian  Associations. 

August  1,  1901. 


It  is  the  purpose  of  The  Secretarial  Institute  and  Training  School 
of  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations  to  invite  scholars  of  note  and 
Association  men  of  large  experience  and  ability  to  make  extended 
historical  and  critical  studies  of  living  Association  themes  and  to  pre- 
sent the  results  in  papers  or  addresses  upon  the  platform  of  the  Con- 
ference of  Volunteer  Workers  at  Lake  Geneva.  Selected  papers  will 
be  published  from  time  to  time  by  the  institution  as  a contribution  to 
the  general  investigation  and  discussion  of  themes  vital  to  Associa- 
tion work. 

It  is  believed  that  this  institution,  educational  in  purpose,  and 
composed  as  it  is  of  both  volunteer  and  employed  Association  leaders 
connected  with  local,  state  and  international  Association  bodies, 
is  in  position  to  furnish  a platform  where  important  questions  bear- 
ing upon  the  Association  movement  can  be  discussed  with  a freedom 
and  exhaustiveness  not  possible  in  state  or  international  conventions. 
It  is  to  be  understood,  however,  that  neither  this  institution  nor  its 
members  necessarily  endorse  or  are  committed  to  the  views  expressed 
or  the  positions  taken  in  these  papers  or  addresses. 


THE  STUDENT  MOVEMENT  AS  IT  RELATES  TO 
THE  ENTIRE  ASSOCIATION  MOVEMENT. 

The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  has  been  found  to  be 
icniarkably  adapted  to  student  life.  Colleges  and  universities  are 
peculiar  and  self-centered  communities,  which  as  yet  hold  but  little 
direct  relation  to  the  world  at  large.  I do  not  mean  that  colleges 
and  universities  are  not  serving  the  world,  for  their  influence  and 
their  usefulness  are  not  only  enormous,  but  increasingly  so.  Besides, 
their  work  is  coming  to  touch  more  and  more  intimately  the  general 
human  interests.  What  I mean  is  that  the  every  day  life  of  the 
average  college  and  university  student  is  related  to  the  college  and 
university  rather  than  to  the  outside  community.  In  consequence  of 
this,  the  college  community  has  its  own  peculiarly  intimate  associa- 
tions, which  are  also  singularly  influential.  Independent  judgment 
and  action  may  be  shown  by  the  college  community  in  reference  to 
the  judgments  and  regulations  of  the  larger  community  outside,  but 
within  itself,  the  judgment  and  behavior  inherited  from  previous 
generations  of  students  are  tyrannical  in  their  claims.  Nowhere  does 
precedent  hold  such  absolute  sway.  In  this  strange  community, 
which  was  first  developed  as  a thing  apart  by  the  old  conflicts  be- 
tween town  and  gown,  and  which  to  a certain  degree  continues  to 
be  a thing  apart  through  force  of  precedent,  the  ordinary  religious 
methods  of  the  churches  made  but  little  impression.  It  became  a 
notorious  fact  that  nowhere,  among  intelligent  people  in  a Christian 
country,  was  religious  life  at  so  low  an  ebb  as  among  students.  Our 
college  secretaries  have  repeatedly  given  us  remarkable  statistics  of 
church  membership  in  the  leading  colleges  and  universities  less  than 
half  a century  ago,  showing  a condition  of  things  that  was  appalling, 
and  that  was  a menace  to  the  future  progress  of  Christian  work. 
It  was  evident  that  in  this  particular  field  the  usual  method  of 
church  propaganda  was  practically  a failure.  The  agents  of  this 
work  were  the  members  of  the  faculty,  but  a most  unreasonable  but 
none  the  less  effective  precedent,  based  upon  the  theory  that  faculty 
and  students  are  two  parties  organized  for  mutual  resistance,  com- 
pletely blocked  such  efforts.  The  fact  that  any  large  number  of  intel- 
ligent people  were  in  practical  opposition  to  Christianity  would  have 
called  for  special  thought  and  effort  on  the  part  of  Christians.  The 


most  serious  fact,  however,  was  that  this  special  class  of  college 
students  was  preparing  for  inevitable  leadership  in  the  larger  com- 
munity outside.  They  were  to  be  not  only  leaders  in  position,  but 
chiefly  leaders  of  sentiment.  Their  attitude  towards  Christianity 
would  have  an  exceedingly  influential  bearing  upon  its  rate  of  prog- 
ress ; and  if  they  should  carry  out  into  their  various  communities, 
from  college  or  university,  a confirmed  habit  of  disregarding,  or 
even  sneering  at  every  Christian  effort,  the  total  result  of  this  in- 
fluence would  be  exceedingly  difficult  to  counteract. 

It  was  into  this  situation  that  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Asso- 
ciation entered.  It  so  happened  that  its  whole  theory  of  work  fitted 
exactly  into  the  college  conditions.  For  young  men  to  work  for 
one  another  is  to  utilize  the  most  potent  influence  of  the  college  com- 
munity, where  the  words  of  wisdom  and  of  authority  count  not  at 
all  as  against  the  words  of  companionship.  Not  only  did  the  Asso- 
ciation methods  thrive  in  the  college  atmosphere,  but  they  have  been 
peculiarly  effective.  In  colleges  the  associations  are  more  intimate, 
and  the  influence  of  student  upon  student  far  greater,  than  is  possible 
among  men  outside  of  colleges. 

For  this  reason,  the  student  work  has  developed  with  amazing 
rapidity.  By  means  of  it  the  college  community  in  general  has  been 
absolutely  revolutionized  within  a few  years,  and  college  students 
are  really  living  in  an  atmosphere  of  Christianity,  rather  than  in  one 
of  mediaeval  semi-barbarism.  There  seems  to  be  something  pecu- 
liarly winning  in  Christianity  to  the  college  student,  when  presented 
in  the  right  way ; and  the  statistics  to-day  show  that  the  body  of 
college  students,  so  far  from  containing  a smaller  proportion  of  pro- 
fessed Christians  than  any  other  intelligent  body  of  people  in  a Chris- 
tian country,  contains  a larger  proportion. 

And  now  the  student  work  has  swept  in  the  colleges  and  univer- 
sities of  the  old  world,  and  we  have  at  last  a real  world  federation 
in  the  interest  of  Christian  work.  Not  only  has  this  work  increased 
in  extent,  but  it  has  devised  method  after  method  of  laying  hold  of 
the  college  community,  until  now  the  old  college  tripos,  consisting 
of  Greek,  Latin  and  Mathematics,  has  been  replaced  by  a new  tripos, 
consisting  of  the  Class  room,  the  Athletic  field,  and  the  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Association. 

I regard  this  as  one  of  the  greatest  recent  triumphs  of  Chris- 
tianity, not  merely  because  it  has  won  for  Christ  a very  large  com- 
munity peculiarly  entrenched  and  difficult  to  reach,  but  chiefly  be- 
cause it  has  repeated  the  experience  of  Saul  of  Tarsus  in  converting 
a powerful  influence  from  being  a menace  to  Christianity  to  being 


6 


an  aggressive  advocate  of  it.  The  possibilities  of  Association  work 
among  students  can  hardly  be  conjectured,  for  its  progress  has  been 
a series  of  surprises.  It  is  in  my  mind  that  to  the  Association  will 
eventually  be  committed  all  the  religious  activities  of  the  college 
community.  This  would  be  logical  if  it  is  the  purpose  to  secure 
results  from  religious  activity.  Further  than  this,  many  other  college 
activities  will  be  committed  to  the  Association  officially,  as  the  most 
effective  possible  agent  where  individual  service  of  students  is  con- 
cerned. 

Not  content  with  the  regeneration  of  college  communities,  the 
spirit  of  trained  and  consecrated  young  manhood  has  demanded  a 
place  for  work  in  the  regeneration  of  the  heathen  world.  This  call 
has  awakened  in  them  almost  the  same  insistent  desire  to  conquer  for 
Christ  as  did  the  various  calls  to  the  crusades  in  the  young  men  of 
hundreds  of  years  ago ; and  no  one  dares  to  predict  the  possibilities 
of  this  wonderful  volunteer  movement.  It  is  one  of  the  marvels  of 
to-day,  and  one  of  the  many  indications  that  the  world  is  to  be  con- 
quered for  Christ. 

I am  glad  to  make  this  statement  as  to  the  value,  purpose  and 
possibilities  of  the  student  movement,  especially  since  I wish  to  call 
attention  to  a danger  connected  with  it,  and  a consequent  weakness. 

The  danger  is,  that  the  large  and  varied  and  peculiar  activities 
of  the  student  work  may  lead  to  a forgetfulness  of  the  fact  that  the 
student  department  is  but  a part  of  the  broader  and  larger  Associa- 
tion brotherhood.  This  is  a common  tendency  of  specialization, 
which  if  unguarded  puts  a man  at  the  bottom  of  his  own  particular 
well,  where  he  imagines  that  his  own  patch  of  blue  sky  is  all  there 
is  for  him  to  see.  Trained  men  must  stand  on  mountain  tops,  where 
the  horizon  is  wide,  and  where  one’s  own  work  is  seen  to  fall  into 
proper  relations  with  other  work.  The  effects  of  over-specialization 
are  nowhere  more  apparent  than  in  the  faculties  of  universities,  and 
the  ear-marks  of  an  extreme  specialist  are  getting  to  be  well  known. 
The  most  important  is  that  his  neglect  of  everything  that  does  not 
pertain  to  his  own  special  work  is  absolute  and  complete.  Ignorance 
even  of  closely  related  fields  is  carefully  cultivated,  on  the  plea  that 
any  diversion  consumes  time  and  energy  which  belong  to  the  special 
work.  As  for  the  world  of  knowledge  in  general,  it  is  as  foreign 
as  though  its  records  were  written  in  Chinese.  Certain  inevitable 
consequences  are  observed.  With  vision  focused  upon  some  narrow 
field,  all  perspective  vanishes,  and  a single  object  fills  the  whole  hor- 
izon. This  distorted  vision  grossly  exaggerates  a single  subject, 
and  there  is  no  conception  of  relationship. 

7 


Such  a specialist  is  inevitably  narrow,  and  has  shut  himself  off 
from  that  kind  of  contact  with  his  fellows  and  with  the  world  at 
large  which  would  not  only  enable  him  to  make  his  knowledge 
effective,  but  which  would  certainly  react  upon  him  in  the  way  of 
intellectual  breadth.  Whenever  I see  such  men,  with  only  a single 
point  of  contact  with  the  world,  I am  reminded  of  men  with  single 
senses.  A man  whose  only  contact  with  the  world  of  sensation  is 
through  hearing  may  become  wonderfully  acute  in  the  recognition 
of  sound,  with  all  its  modifications  of  pitch  and  tone  and  direction ; 
but  with  no  contact  through  sight,  smell,  touch,  taste,  what  strangely 
distorted  conceptions  he  must  get.  In  my  own  particular  science, 
while  the  day  of  extreme  specialization  is  still  with  us  in  ever  in- 
creasing intensity,  a next  stage  has  been  reached  which  demands  that 
a specialist  shall  adjust  his  subject  to  its  relations.  The  specialist 
who  has  no  regard  for  the  larger  subject  of  which  his  own  is  but  a 
part  is  looked  upon  now  more  as  a curiosity  than  as  a real  member 
of  the  working  force  of  his  particular  science. 

I fear  that  students,  surrounded  by  an  atmosphere  of  specializa- 
tion, are  tempted  to  specialize  narrowly  in  student  work,  to  the  entire 
neglect  of  the  larger  Association  movement  of  which  they  are  a part. 
This  failure  to  relate  oneself  to  the  whole  scheme  of  which  he  may 
be  a part  is  weakness  in  other  spheres  of  responsible  activity,  and  I 
see  no  reason  to  believe  that  its  result  is  different  in  the  Student 
Department  of  the  Association. 

From  my  own  observation,  as  chairman  of  the  committee  which 
has  to  do  with  the  student  work  of  Illinois,  I think  I shall  venture 
further.  This  natural  tendency  to  specialize  in  an  atmosphere  of 
specialization  is  intensified  in  the  student  work  for  two  reasons.  The 
first  is  the  fact  that  the  student  field  is  so  peculiar  in  many  ways 
that  it  must  be  cultivated  in  ways  peculiar  to  itself.  This  increases 
the  impression  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  Association  work  at  large 
which  may  be  of  service  in  the  student  work.  It  may  be  that  details 
are  not  to  be  suggested  by  the  general  work  of  the  Association,  but 
I very  much  doubt  even  this.  I cannot  conceive  of  several  depart- 
ments doing  the  same  type  of  Christian  work  which  are  not  neces- 
sarily full  of  suggestiveness  to  one  another.  A student,  a railroad 
man  and  a clerk  may  belong  to  very  different  categories,  and  may 
present  very  different  avenues  of  approach,  but  the  principle  of  skill- 
ful approach  is  common  to  all.  It  is  just  here  that  very  many  would- 
be  teachers  fail.  They  seek  for  rules  of  teaching  and  apply  them  in 
wooden  fashion ; while  what  they  need  to  discover  is  some  under- 
lying principle  which  may  be  adapted  to  the  greatest  variety  of  con- 

8 


ditions.  As  a teacher  of  botany,  I am  as  likely  to  get  valuable  sug- 
gestions from  a good  teacher  of  Latin  as  from  another  teacher  of 
botany.  In  the  same  way,  a student  worker  is  as  likely  to  get  valua- 
ble suggestions  from  a good  railroad  worker  as  from  another  student 
worker. 

The  other  influence  which  intensifies  the  tendency  of  the  student 
worker  to  specialize  in  narrow  fashion  is  the  attitude  of  student 
secretaries  of  the  International  Committee.  I wish  to  speak  of  this 
very  freely  and  frankly,  for  I feel  that  with  these  secretaries  rests 
largely  the  responsibility  of  the  attitude  of  students  towards  the  gen- 
eral work  of  the  Association.  I do  not  believe  that  they  are  really 
conscious  of  the  presence  and  danger  of  this  tendency,  or  they  would 
be  doing  something  to  check  it.  I have  not  been  able  to  discover 
any  such  attempt;  but  on  the  contrary  I have  found  much  to  en- 
courage the  tendency.  I very  seldom  hear  of  meetings  of  students, 
arranged  for  in  connection  with  general  conventions,  which  are  at 
all  well  attended.  Even  when  they  are,  there  is  a constant  tendency 
to  divorce  the  student  part  of  the  proceedings  from  every  other  part. 
This  very  conference  is  an  illustration.  Here  is  represented  city, 
town  and  railroad  work,  but  where  are  the  students  ? They  had 
their  own  separate  conference  two  weeks  ago.  I should  have  counted 
it  a privilege  to  have  presented  both  of  my  papers  to  them  as  well  as 
to  you.  I recognize  the  necessity  of  special  conferences,  and  perhaps 
my  illustration  from  the  Lake  Geneva  conferences  is  not  a happy 
one ; but  I am  urging  that  these  shall  not  be  arranged  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  general  conferences,  where  the  whole  great  movement  of 
the  Association  shall  be  discussed,  and  each  department  of  work  may 
be  made  to  feel  that  it  is  but  part  of  a far  greater  whole. 

I would  press  it  upon  the  Student  Department  that  it  is  not  mere- 
ly sufficient  to  enter  into  an  arrangement  for  general  conferences ; 
but  the  importance  of  attendance  at  these  conferences  should  be 
urged  with  all  the  zeal  that  marks  the  “working  up”  of  a student 
conference.  So  desirable  is  this  wider  grasp  upon  Association  work 
that  I have  often  thought  definite  arrangement  should  be  made  by 
every  College  Association  to  study  the  history  and  progress  of  the 
whole  Association  movement.  There  are  handbooks  and  there  are 
representatives  of  every  department  of  work  always  available;  and 
such  an  education  would  mean  grasp,  and  inspiration,  and  continuity 
of  interest. 

This  unnatural  divorce  of  the  student  work  from  the  general 
work,  and  its  consequent  high  specialization,  segregates  the  student 
body  from  the  other  local  interests  of  the  Association  which  should 

9 


touch  them.  I have  recognized  for  some  time  that  State  Com- 
mittees, Metropolitan  Associations  and  other  local  Associations 
find  it  difficult  to  be  of  any  real  service  in  developing  the  col- 
lege organizations  with  which  they  are  naturally  associated.  There 
seems  to  be  no  common  bond  of  interest  which  can  draw  them  to- 
gether in  mutual  helpfulness.  There  can  never  be  such  a common 
bond  except  as  it  is  developed  by  a knowledge  of  one  another.  My 
own  personal  observation  has  assured  me  that  for  some  reason  it  is 
the  college  man  who  has  been  taught  to  feel  that  he  can  neither 
get  help  from  the  other  departments  of  work,  nor  give  it  to  them. 

It  is  for  this  reason  I suggest  that  perhaps  a large  measure  of 
responsibility  rests  with  the  leaders  of  student  work  to  correct  this. 
The  arrangement  for  the  attendance  of  students  at  general  conven- 
tions, for  their  study  of  Association  history  and  movements  as  a 
whole,  for  their  recognition  of  all  contiguous  associations  of  all 
branches  as  a part  and  parcel  of  their  own  work,  to  whom  they  are 
to  give,  and  from  whom  they  are  to  receive  friendly  service ; all  these 
things  are  easily  provided  for. 

I have  pointed  out  the  danger  of  over-specialization  in  student 
work.  It  remains  to  call  attention  to  the  points  of  weakness  which 
inevitably  follow. 

The  first  has  been  implied  already  and  will  be  treated  briefly. 
Too  narrow  specialization  results  in  less  effective  men.  I do  not 
mean  men  who  are  effective  in  a general  way,  for  that  is  self-evident ; 
but  men  who  are  effective  in  their  own  special  line.  In  other  words, 
a student  worker,  who  knows  somewhat  of  the  general  Association  of 
which  his  special  field  is  a constituent  part,  is  a more  effective  stu- 
dent worker.  If  this  be  true,  a knowledge  of  other  Association  work 
becomes  a matter  of  self-interest  to  the  student  worker.  This  result 
follows  for  several  reasons.  In  the  first  place,  one  is  always  a 
broader  man  who  has  grasped  large  relationships.  It  gives  him  a 
greater  freedom  of  judgment  and  a truer  perspective  than  can  come 
from  a restricted  survey.  In  the  second  place,  a knowledge  of  the 
whole  Association  movement  brings  a sense  of  power.  To  be  a part 
of  such  an  all-sweeping  movement  inspires  confidence.  A man  who 
knows  the  Association  as  a whole  will  never  speak  the  word  of  dis- 
couragement, or  regard  any  situation  as  so  peculiar  that  it  precludes 
successful  effort.  I have  been  amazed,  time  and  again,  by  the  com- 
plete ignorance  of  members,  and  even  officers  of  college  associations, 
of  the  tremendous  power  and  dignity  of  the  Association  movement  as 
a whole.  It  is  as  though  they  were  citizens  of  some  little  hamlet, 
plodding  along  in  lonely  fashion,  with  no  conception  of  the  extent 

10 


and  power  of  the  great  commonwealth  which  upholds  and  is  ready 
to  aid  and  to  protect  them. 

In  the  third  place,  contact  with  the  larger  work  brings  larger 
contact  with  men  of  inspiration  and  power.  To  multiply  such  con- 
tacts is  like  repeatedly  tapping  reservoirs  of  energy.  It  is  person- 
ality which  inspires,  and  the  consecration,  the  zeal,  the  confidence 
that  are  in  abundant  evidence  at  every  general  convention,  are  full 
of  invigoration  and  renewed  purpose  to  the  student  worker,  even 
if  not  a word  about  student  work  has  been  uttered.  In  the  fourth 
place,  and  even  more  specifically,  the  student  worker  who  is  a stu- 
dent of  the  whole  work  has  at  command  the  whole  experience  of 
a great  and  varied  history.  He  sees  how  the  work  has  been  adapted 
to  every  possible  situation  and  to  every  possible  condition  of  men. 
His  own  problems  are  clearer,  and  his  knowledge  is  a storehouse 
of  suggestions  as  to  their  probable  solution. 

Such  direct  advantages  to  the  student  work  in  the  better  equip- 
ment of  its  workers  might  be  multiplied,  but  enough  has  been  said 
to  indicate  that  any  tendency  toward  a narrow  specialization,  which 
is  indifferent  to  the  larger  movement  to  the  point  of  ignorance, 
dwarfs  rather  than  enlarges  men  for  their  own  special  work. 

The  second  point  of  weakness  in  the  student  work,  which  comes 
from  a failure  to  cultivate  the  broader  relations  of  Association  work, 
is  the  fact  that  so  few  college  men,  even  the  leaders  of  student  asso- 
ciations, are  found  active  and  prominent  in  city  Association  work 
after  leaving  college.  I would  regard  this  as  the  greatest  weakness 
of  the  student  movement  to-day,  a weakness  which  must  attract 
attention  until  some  remedy  has  been  found  to  abolish  it.  This  sit- 
uation is  really  a serious  one,  and  indicates  some  grave  defect  in 
student  training.  The  Association  life  in  college,  in  the  experience  of 
any  man,  should  be  an  introduction  to  Association  life  out  of  college. 
The  strongest,  most  aggressive,  and  best  trained  men  in  city  work 
should  be  the  yearly  recruits  from  colleges  and  universities.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  indifference  of  college  men  to  Association  work 
after  leaving  college  is  to  throw  the  weight  of  their  influence  against 
it.  Such  a result  would  be  impossible  were  the  college  man,  during 
his  Association  life  in  college,  properly  trained  in  the  general  Asso- 
ciation movements.  Knowing  only  college  men  and  leaders  of  college 
work,  having  attended  only  conventions  of  college  men,  having  had 
his  attention  persistently  called  only  to  the  student  work,  it  is  per- 
fectly natural  for  him.  when  his  college  life  has  ended,  to  think  that 
his  Association  life  has  ended  as  well.  Association  life  outside  of 
college  he  knows  nothing  about,  and  his  Association  experience  is 


11 


identified  with  all  other  college  experiences,  to  be  called  up  as  a mem- 
ory rather  than  as  a present  privilege  and  duty.  In  developing  the 
great  movement  that  is  to  train  and  send  men  to  the  heathen,  it 
would  be  wise  not  to  forget  the  development  and  training  of  men 
who  will  go  into  the  various  departments  of  home  work  as  volunteer 
laborers.  I do  not  see  why  every  college  Association  should  not  be 
made  a center  for  developing  in  its  members  a strong  desire,  born 
of  knowledge,  to  take  up  whatever  phase  of  Association  work  pre- 
sents itself  to  them  after  their  college  experience.  As  was  said  in 
the  outset,  these  men  are  to  be  leaders  in  their  various  communities, 
and  they  are  in  a position  to  do  more  than  any  other  set  of  men  in 
influencing  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  the  Association. 

I must  confess  to  a great  surprise  when  I discovered  the  fact 
that  college  Association  men  in  general  drop  active  Association  con- 
nections when  they  leave  college.  I had  been  taking  it  for  granted 
that  they  are  prominent  in  the  Association  activities  of  cities  and 
elsewhere.  In  fact,  I have  long  been  arguing  in  favor  of  the  devel- 
opment of  college  Associations  because  they  furnish  a perennial  sup- 
ply of  strong  and  leading  men  for  the  other  departments  of  work.  I 
have  met  men  who  appreciate  fully  the  great  work  done  by  the  other 
departments  of  the  Association,  but  who  cannot  be  convinced  of  the 
advantage  of  the  organization  in  colleges.  I have  been  in  the  habit 
of  meeting  them  with  the  statement  that  it  is  the  college  work  that 
is  supplying  trained  and  influential  men  for  the  other  work.  I am 
shocked  and  chagrined  at  the  falsity  of  my  claim.  This  thing  cannot 
continue  to  be,  because  it  is  not  natural.  It  is  certainly  contrary  to 
what  I have  regarded  as  the  natural  order  of  things.  When  one 
remembers  that  college  experience  is  but  an  ephemeral  stage  in  the 
life  of  a man,  to  make  Association  contact  of  such  a character  that 
it  is  as  ephemeral  as  the  college  experience  is  a condition  of  things 
that  must  not  continue.  I cannot  argue  for  college  Association  work 
on  any  such  basis. 

It  may  be  claimed  that  college  Association  men  identify  themselves 
with  other  forms  of  Christian  activity  when  they  leave  college,  and 
that  their  Association  experience  in  college  after  all  has  given  them 
a permanent  stimulus  to  Christian  work.  This  is  undoubtedly  true 
to  a certain  extent,  but  the  large  abandonment  of  the  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Association  as  one  very  effective  means  of  Christian  effort 
can  only  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  during  the  college  experience 
no  interest  has  been  aroused  in  Association  work  in  general.  If  col- 
lege men  were  interested  in  it,  they  would  seek  it  wherever  they  hap- 
pen to  be. 


12 


It  is  inconceivable  that  the  larger  work  is  not  adapted  to  interest 
college  men,  for  it  is  known  to  appeal  to  them  strongly  when  properly 
presented.  This  suggests  the  still  further  weakness  that  not  enough 
college  men  enter  Association  work  as  a profession.  The  importance 
and  the  dignity  of  such  a life  work  has  not  been  sufficiently  presented 
to  them ; and  yet  there  are  scores  of  strong  college  men  among  the 
graduates  of  every  year  who  should  become  identified  with  various 
departments  of  the  Association. 

My  thesis,  therefore,  is  as  follows  The  student  movement  is 
wonderful  in  its  successful  adaptation  to  the  student  community. 
Beginning  with  a most  unpromising  situation,  its  progress  and  the 
completeness  of  its  conquests  have  been  unsurpassed  in  the  history 
of  Christian  movements.  Its  leaders  have  been  men  of  exceptional 
zeal  and  power.  Not  only  has  it  revolutionized  college  life  and  en- 
tirely changed  the  college  atmosphere,  but  in  its  volunteer  movement 
it  has  inaugurated  a missionary  effort  which  is  a constant  surprise 
in  the  numbers  and  in  the  consecration  of  the  lives  which  are  gladly 
offered  for  difficult  and  often  dangerous  service.  In  the  midst  of 
this  great  success  and  of  this  great  promise  for  even  a larger  future, 
there  is  danger  of  neglecting  a duty  close  at  hand.  This  duty  is  to 
remember  that  all  this  great  movement  is  but  a constituent  part  of 
a still  greater  movement,  all  of  whose  parts  must  be  bound  together 
in  common  interest  and  loyalty.  As  distinct  and  as  varied  and  as 
extensive  as  the  student  movement  may  ever  become,  it  can  never 
afford  to  divorce  itself  even  in  spirit  from  the  greater  movement, 
any  more  than  a branch  can  afford  to  divorce  itself  from  the  vine. 
A constant  separation  of  college  interests  from  other  Association  in- 
terests tends  to  an  unfortunately  narrow  specialization,  which  so  far 
from  increasing  power  really  diminishes  it.  Specialization  which 
means  an  increase  of  available  knowledge  is  always  to  be  encouraged, 
but  specialization  which  means  merely  a narrowed  vision  is  always 
weakness.  The  evidence  seems  clear  that  the  student  work  is  in  dan- 
ger of  being  so  specialized,  and  every  effort  must  be  made  to  avoid 
it.  The  only  effective  method  is  for  the  leaders  of  the  student  move- 
ment to  adopt  a policy  in  reference  to  the  general  Association,  which 
will  in  no  way  check  their  activities,  but  which  will  strengthen  the 
student  Associations  themselves,  and  be  of  great  service  to  the  whole 
Association.  This  policy,  briefly  stated,  is  to  urge  the  attendance  of 
students  upon  general  conventions,  to  impress  upon  them  the  great 
importance  of  some  general  knowledge  of  Association  work,  to  make 
this  knowledge  available  through  proper  literature  and  representa- 
tive men,  to  train  them,  so  far  as  possible,  for  the  broader  activities 

13 


of  Association  work,  and  to  make  it  clear  that  beyond  the  few  years 
of  college  experience  there  lie  the  multiform  activities  of  the  larger 
Association  life,  in  which  their  training  has  fitted  them  to  take  a 
prominent  part. 

It  is  my  belief  that  this  policy,  vigorously  pressed,  will  speedily 
result  in  at  least  the  following  things  : 

1.  A broader-minded,  wiser,  and  more  zealous  set  of  men  in  the 
college  associations. 

2.  An  increased  interest  in  college  associations  by  students  and 
by  the  friends  of  students. 

3.  A stimulus  to  the  general  activities  of  the  Association  by  the 
annual  influx  of  trained  and  influential  college  men  as  volunteer 
workers. 

4.  The  presence  of  more  college  men  on  the  professional  staff  of 
the  Association. 

What  I am  exceedingly  anxious  for  is  an  increasing  unification 
of  our  whole  work,  rather  than  a practical  disruption  through  ex- 
treme specialization.  Each  department  of  work  is  like  an  organ  of 
the  body,  adapted  to  some  particular  service,  but  none  the  less  inti- 
mately related  to  all  the  other  organs.  It  must  not  be  supposed  that 
I am  deploring  specialization.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  always  an  indi- 
cation of  great  progress,  and  specialization  in  our  work  will  become 
increasingly  pronounced.  What  I desire  for  the  Association  is  all 
the  benefits  and  none  of  the  dangers  of  specialization.  We  are  a 
brotherhood,  serving  different  constituencies,  but  bound  intimately 
together  in  common  interest  and  purpose.  We  are  to  shun  the  faint- 
est indication  of  indifference  to  one  another’s  work,  or  the  slightest 
tendency  to  magnify  our  own  at  the  expense  of  another.  It  is  always 
interesting  to  me  to  hear  our  zealous  secretaries  present  their  own 
fields.  To  them  their  own  facts  are  naturally  the  most  important 
facts,  and  they  are  swept  along  by  a tide  of  feeling  in  regard  to  them 
until  they  kindle  within  us  a glow  of  enthusiasm.  This  is  right, 
for  every  good  thing  in  turn  should  so  kindle  our  enthusiasm  as  to 
appear  the  most  important.  How  many  enthusiasms  have  been  kin- 
dled in  you  by  the  presentation  of  different  causes?  I believe  in  suc- 
cessive enthusiasms.  What  I do  not  believe  in  is  the  single  enthu- 
siasm which  distorts  vision  and  diminishes  power.  My  plea  for  the 
student  Associations,  therefore,  is  that  they  be  not  made  up  of  mem- 
bers with  a single  enthusiasm,  but  that  successive  and  different  en- 
thusiasms shall  result  in  a broad  and  steady  glow  of  interest  in  the 
whole  Association  movement. 


14 


